The newsletter is published in March, July and November. Reproduced below is our March edition which includes the latest information on our Mozambique appeal, the story of one development worker's time in Botswana and how the UK office recently recieved a visit from DFID.
New Challenge for Mozambique
Skillshare Africa is committed to assist the people of Mozambique in meeting their new challenges following the recent floods.
We have been working in Mozambique since 1980 to help tackle the devastating effects of civil war and currently have 13 development workers in the country.
The recent flooding and tropical storms have caused havoc in some areas of the country, setting back long-term development.
Dr Cliff Allum, Director of Skillshare Africa said: "Everyone will no doubt be aware of the floods and the effects of Cyclone Eline in Mozambique.
"The Skillshare Africa programme has been supporting the people of Mozambique in essential development for many years.
"The floods have been a major setback, undoing the efforts of the Mozambican people to rebuild their country. Now, more than ever, we need to help them get back on track.
"Large stretches of road and many bridges have been washed away. Hundreds of people have so far been killed and the government say millions more will be affected.
"Water supplies and sewage systems have been badly damaged and experts are warning that many Mozambicans remain at risk from water-borne disease, malaria and hunger."
Emergency relief agencies, through the Disasters Emergency Committee, have already sent vital support to the region. Both emergency aid and long-term development are essential if Mozambique is to recover.
Dr Allum continues: "Our long-standing involvement and partnerships with the people and Government of Mozambique means that we are well placed to respond to the development and reconstruction needs of the country in the aftermath of the floods.
"In the past support has been essential to the success of our work. We need to find ways to help Mozambique recover from the misfortune of natural disaster and continue her process of development."
Click here for more information on how you
can help the people of Mozambique
NASA joins forces with Botswana Programme Partner
American Space Agency, NASA, is taking a keen interest in the work of the Khama Rhino Sanctuary Trust and its positive effects on the environment.
The trust, set up to increase the white rhino population in Botswana, has attracted a lot of attention from environmentalists across the globe but surprisingly, not just for their animal conservation work.
Overgrazing is a real problem in Botswana and the controversial decision not to allow cattle to roam within the sanctuary boundaries has allowed the vegetation within the fences to re-establish itself.
Such is the impact on the landscape, that botanists from the University of Botswana have conducted several studies of the dramatic re-growth and the area is being used in international research into the effects of pollution - using imaging technology from NASA.
Sue Bicknell has just returned from Botswana as co-ordinator for the Khama sanctuary. While she was there, she oversaw the advent of eco-tourism at the trust and recently gave a talk on the subject in Leicester on behalf of Skillshare Africa.
"The main aim of the programme was to create a breeding population to try and increase the number of rhino living wild in the region," explained Sue.
"But the knock-on effects of that were tremendous - and quite unexpected - particularly where the environment was concerned.
In order to become self-sustaining the trust used the interest in the breeding programme as a tourism opportunity.
This idea proved to be a good one, not just for Khama but also the surrounding area, as Sue explains:
"Local businesses such as builders, fencers and caterers were benefiting from the trust and the tourism initiative due to the creation of more regular work.
"As more tourists began visiting the trust we raised funds to build a place for them to stay. We also opened a shop which sold essentials such as toothpaste and tourism guides alongside traditional woodcarvings by local people.
"I also raised funds to pay for educational materials and we held special school groups to educate children on conservation and the environment."
The Khama Rhino Trust is still going strong. When Sue left they were virtually self-sustainable and the rhino population had increased by two - an achievement considering the gestation and incubation period is about three years in total.
But what is more encouraging is the long-term effects a small sanctuary in Botswana is having on Africa as a whole.
It is the perfect example of how one small change can have many lasting results.
At the Cutting Edge of Technology
Skillshare Africa's new electronic communication system is said to be one of the most advanced of its kind currently being used in the southern African voluntary sector.
The new Lotus Notes package, expected to be in full use by mid April, allows all seven countries to communicate more efficiently than ever before.
Information Technology Support Officer, Vince Warrington, explains: "All staff members now have desk-to-desk email and Internet connectivity improving communications and efficiency between offices and also internally.
"The move to new technology is part of Skillshare Africa's Corporate Strategy which states that during the next five years we will continue to develop our systems and ways of working, resulting in an improved service.
"This will ultimately benefit of our partners and further improve relationships with development workers and other stakeholders."
Installation and staff training in the new systems began in February with Botswana, Lesotho, Swaziland and the UK all going online in the first phase of introduction.
The final phase for Mozambique, Namibia and South Africa begins late March.
Assumption High School in Lesotho will be the first educational establishment in the country to offer metalwork as a recognised examination.
The school in Teyateyaneng (TY) and Skillshare Africa have a long-standing relationship, having worked together for over a decade.
On a recent visit to Assumption by Director, Cliff Allum, development worker John Earl explained how the purchase of textbooks and a new turning lathe has enabled them to offer metalworking at high school level.
John has also been in meetings with the Technical and Vocational Education Department (TVED) of the Lesotho government (with whom Skillshare Africa also has a partnership), to get the metalwork course approved.
He has agreed to extend his time in Lesotho by another two years to ensure the course is well established.
Elias Tso'sane, Lesotho Programme Officer said: "The beneficiaries of John's work are primarily the students.
"Recent pass rates for the school were among the best in the country. This has made many students interested in doing technical subjects."
Lesotho ranks 137th out of 174 countries in terms of per capita gross domestic product. It is rated as a 'low-income' country and in response, the government has made a genuine commitment to develop vocational training.
It is hoped that this, together with entrepreneurial skills training, will help encourage the growth of businesses in the country and stem the tide of migrant labour which is currently a major factor in the Lesotho economy.
